Manufacturing at nanoscale

This chapter starts with a brief discussion of the concepts of molecular device and machine and a description of the bottom-up (i.e., supramolecular) approach to their construction. The characteristics of molecular machines are then discussed with reference to those of macroscopic ones. In the second part, representative studies in solution are presented with the aim of illustrating the working principles of synthetic linear and rotary molecular machines. The third section describes some remarkable achievements that demonstrate the potential utility of nanoscale machines to perform tasks. Finally, perspectives and limitations of this kind of systems are discussed in the Conclusion section